Newspapers are typically delivered along a route by placing the newspaper in an open ended container located by a roadway. The use of such a local container is convenient for the route delivery person and provides a safe sheltered location for the newspaper until picked up by the newspaper customer. However, unless the delivery of the paper is actually seen, there is no way to tell whether the paper has been delivered. Consequently, frequent walks to the delivery box may be required to determine if the paper has been received.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,244, a device for signaling the delivery of mail or newspapers in an enclosed receptacle that is open on at least one end is described. The device comprises a trigger element that blocks a portion of the delivery opening of the receptacle and a flag element that signals the delivery. These elements operatively slidably engage one another to cause displacement.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,870, a signal for mounting upon a conventional newspaper delivery box is disclosed which comprises a molded clamp unit which releasably clamps upon the upper edge of the open forward end of the box with a flap arranged within and blocking the box opening. The flap pivots upwardly upon insertion of the newspaper within the box. A signal flag connected to the flap swings into an upright signaling position. The flap and flag are separate parts which are secured to the separate clamp and to each other to form the signal unit.
While such devices in some respects are useful, the search continues for alternative means for providing a newspaper delivery box signal which is of low cost and which may be retofitted to existing newspaper boxes.